Following days of uncertainty, Cambridge venue The Portland Arms is not, we repeat NOT closing down.

Local music fans arriving at the venue over the last few days for gigs by Thee Unstrung, St Thomas & Stephen Fretwell discovered the pub closed. This sparked rumors the landlord had left unexpectedly or that the brewery had called time on the venue. It was feared that the Portland had gone the way of the Boat Race which was closed in January amidst a storm of local protest.

However, a local promoter has informed DiS that he received confirmation via email from the new licensee, confirming the Portland would remain open, and would continue to host live music for the foreseeable future.

News that the Portland Arms is to stay open must be something of a relief for the local music scene, and along with the re-opening of The Junction and the Anglia Polytechnic University Student Union, shows that the Cambridge music scene is back in business.